The Alamo Drafthouse & Paracinema Present - Monday Night Thread Up: Heavy Metal

Last November, The Alamo Drafthouse Cinema in Yonkers, NY debuted a new series titled Monday Night Thread Up. Co-presented and co-curated with Paracinema magazine, and hosted by Paracinema writer Justin LaLiberty the series is dedicated to programming of genre-film classics and screens exclusively on 35mm film. To motivate audiences, the hosts include trivia and prizes as part of each show, and often invite film scholars and writers to speak about the programs. Last week they screened the 1981 animated science fiction (and infamously NC17) classic Heavy Metal, inspired by the magazine of the same name

The story features a series of tales told by the Loc-Nar, a glowing green orb who represents the epitome of all evil in the universe, to a little girl who's father is vaporized. Each story illustrates his inevitable control over the characters and the terrible events that take place.

Heavy Metal, while being mostly well known for its abundance of nudity, foul language, and primitive plot lines, is owed credit for the (unofficial) inspiration of films such as The Fifth Element and Repo Man (1984), which both draw directly from major dystopian themes and the idea of the "greats whatsit" (a theme which, in turn owes much to the 1955 noir drama Kiss Me Deadly).

Monday Night Thread Up makes their screenings worth while by their commitment to sourcing high quality prints, and this was no exception. With minor scratches and flawless projection, it was a joy to behold. Previous screenings have included Chained Heat (1983), Bring Me the Head of Alfredo  Garcia (1974), and Wild at Heart (1990). Programs are announced monthly on the theaters website: http://drafthouse.com/movies/monday-night-thread-up-heavy-metal/nyc_area